Machine for separating silks



2 L L B R R E M L G MACHINE FOR SEPARATING SILKS, &0., FROM GREEN GORN'No. 419,696. Patented Jamal, 1890.

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2 sheetse-sheet 2.

(No Model.)-

Gr. L. MERRELL.

850., FROM GREEN CORN.

Patented Jan.2.1, 1890.

MAGHINE FOR SEPARATING YSILKS,

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N. PETTERS. Phuiu-Limgmpher, Washington, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAIUS L. MERRELL, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING SILKS, 860-, FROM GREEN CORN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,696, dated January21, 1890.

Application filed July 23, 1889. Serial No. 318,390. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GAIUS L. MERRELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for SeparatingSilks, &c., from Green Corn, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has the object to produce a simple separating-machine forseparating green corn cut from the cob, preparatory to preserving orcanning, from the silks which adhere to the kernels and are commingledtherewith and from other large impurities.

My inventionhas reference to a separatingmachine in which rotary screensare employed, and relates more particularly to the means whereby thescreens are actuated and whereby they are rendered removable forcleaning.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is alongitudinal sectional elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the tail end of the machine. Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryelevation of the front end of the machine on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4is a fragmentary end view of the separating-screens, showing the meansfor driving the same in opposite directions. Fig. 5 is a horizontalsection of the front portion of the machine. Fig. 6 is a similar View ofthe rear portion of the machine.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the uprights, and A the horizontal connecting-pieces, ofthe stationary supporting-frame of the machine.

B B represent two cylindrical separatingscreens arranged concentricallyone within the other and constructed of wirecloth having meshes ofsufficient size to permit the kernels of corn to pass through the same,while retaining the fragments of silk and other large impurities.

0 represents the driving-ring or annular head of the outer screen B,arranged at the front end of this screen and supported upon rollers cl01 (1 running in contact with the inner edge of the ring. These rollersare journaled equidistant from each other in an inverted crescent orhorseshoe shaped frame D, the rollers (Z (Z being arranged at the lowerends of the frame and the roller cl at the top thereof. This frame issupported by brackets or arms d formed on the frame secured to theadjacent uprights A. The supportingrollers d d are provided withmarginal flanges, between which the ring 0 is confined. The ring or headC is provided on its rear side with a cylindrical rim or flange, e forthe reception of the front end of the outer screen. The latter isprovided at its front end with a ring or cylindrical band 6', in whichthe end of the wire-cloth cylinder is secured, and which stiffens it andforms a snug joint with the flange e, in which latter the front end ofthe screen is inserted.

6 represents a pin or projection secured to the inner side of the rim orflange e and projecting into a notch or recess formed in the end band 6'of the outer separatingscreen, whereby the screen is compelled to turnwith the ring or head.

The outer screen is provided at its tail end with a ring or cylindricalband f, Which runs with its outer side upon supporting-rollers g g,mounted in bearings secured to a crosspiece G of the main frame. Thesesupporting-rollers are provided at their .rear sides with marginalflanges which retain the tail end of the screen upon the rollers andprevent the screen from moving lengthwise, so as to retain its front endin the flange of the front head or ring 0.

H represents the driving-ring or annular head of the inner screen 13,similar in construction to the ring 0 of the outer screen and arrangedconcentric therewith at the front end of the machine. The driving-ring Hruns with its outer edge upon the inner sides of the supporting-rollersd cl 01 so that j the latter serve to support both driving-rings. Theinner screen is provided at its front end with a cylindricalstiffening-band h, which fits snugly into a cylindrical flange 2',formed on the rear side of the ring H. The flanged is provided with apin 1, like the head of the outer screen, which enters a notch z" in thering h and compels the screen to turn with its head.

The inner screen is provided at its rear end with a cylindrical band j,which runs upon supporting-rollers J J, journaled on avertically-movable arm J. The latter is pivoted at one end to the mainframe of the machine, and rests with its free end upon apin orprojection 70, inserted in an opening in the adjacent upright A. Thefree end of the movable supporting-arm is held against this upright by astrap or guide Z, secured to the same. The supporting-rollers J J areprovided at their rear edges with flanges similar to those of the rearrollers of the outer screen, so as to confine the inner screen in place.Upon raising the rear end of the inner screen above the flanges of itsrear supportingrollers J J the front end of the screen can be drawn outof its driving-head H and the screen be withdrawn rearwardly from themachine for cleaning the screen or for other purposes. Upon withdrawingthe supporting-pin 7c and lowering the supporting-arm J below the rearend of the outer screen, the rear end of thelatter can be lifted abovethe flanges of its rear supporting-rollers and its front end bewithdrawn from its driving-head G to remove the screen. 111 replacingthe screens the outer screen is first put in place,

the movable supporting-arm is then raised to its proper position, andthe inner screen is then inserted.

m represents the horizontal driving-shaft, arranged at the front end ofthe machine and turning in a bearing M, which is adjustably secured tothe branch (1 of the crescentshaped frame D.

n represents a gear-wheel secured to the inner end of the driving-shaftand extending partially across the inner and outer drivingheads 0 and H.

0 represents an annular row of pins or projections secured to the frontside of the inner driving-head, and 0 is a similar row of pins securedto the outer head 0. The two rows of pins are'so arranged that thegear-wheel engages simultaneously on opposite sides with both rows ofpins, so that the revolving gearwheel causes the two heads and theirscreens to turn in opposite directions.

19 is the driving-pulley, mounted on the driving-shaft.

V The separating-screens are inclined toward the tail of the machine, soas to cause the material to move toward the tail ends of the screens.

In case the speed of the shaft from which the machine is driven is sohigh as to cause the material to flow too rapidly through the screens,the tail end of the machine is raised to reduce the inclination of thescreens and cause the material to flow through the screens more slowly.The bearing of the drivingshaft is made adjustable on the frame D, so

that the bearing and shaft can always be ad-,

j usted to a horizontal position when the illclination of the machine ischanged in order to prevent the driving-belt from running off thepulley. The bearing is provided with a concave plate or flange q, andthe contiguous branch d of the frame D, against which said plate bears,is made convex, as represented in Fig. 1, so as to permit the bearing tobe freely adjusted on the frame. The bearing is adjustably secured tothe frame by clamping-bolts r, passing through slots in the'flange ofthe bearing.

The pins on the heads of the screens are made of sufficient length toremain in engage ment with the actuating sprocket-wheel in the variouspositions of the screens.

S represents a receiving-hopper arranged transversely underneath theseparatingscreens and resting upon horizontal ways or ledges t, securedbetween the uprights A. The receiving-hopper is provided with a bottomwhich is inclined transversely of the machine and is removable andreversible, so that the material may be discharged on either side of themachine.

The corn which is cut from the cobs, preparatory to canning orpreserving, it is commingled with or attached to'shreds of the silk fromwhich it is to be separated by my improved machine. The corn containingthese shreds or fragments of silk and other large impurities is fed by afeed-spout or other suitable means into the front end of the innerrotating screen. The kernels with the silks are elevated on theascending side of the screen, and in rolling back over the inner surfaceof the screen the kernels are detach ed from the silk, which latteradheres to the wirecloth, while the separated kernels of corn passthrough the'meshes of the cloth and fall upon the surrounding outerscreen. A portion of the silk, owing to its stringynature, is formedinto lumps or balls by being constantly turned over and escapes over theopen tail end of the inner screen into a suitable receptaole or fallsupon the floor. Any silk which may adhere to the kernels passing throughthe inner screen is detached by being subjected to a secondaryseparating operation in the outer screen, the principal portion of suchremaining silk adhering to the inner surface of the outer screen, whilea portion thereof is tailed off. The separated kernels passing throughthe outer screen drop into the receiving-hopper below. The two screensare preferably rotated in opposite directions, because by this methodthe material is elevated in the two screens on opposite sides, wherebythe material passing through the inner screen falls upon a clearunobstructed portion of the outer screen, which renders the outer screenless liable to clog and requires less frequent cleaning of the screens.The strings or films of silk adhering to the inner surfaces of thescreens hang partly through the meshes thereof while they lie in thelower portions of the screens, but in being elevated they again fallback into the screens before they have an opportunity to work whollythrough the meshes. The screens are removed from time to time forcleaning them from the adhering silks. By rendering the screensremovable in the manner described a fresh set of screens can be placedin the machine while a used set is being cleaned, thereby avoiding longdelays.

A single separating-screen may be employed, if desired; but I prefer touse two, so as to obtain a thorough separation. Both screens may havemeshes of the same size; but, if desired, the inner screen may be ofcoarser mesh than the outer screen.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with the driving-ring andits supporting devices, of a hollow screen detachably connected with thedriving-ring, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the driving-ring and its supporting devices, ofa pin or projection secured to the driving-ring and a detachable hollowscreen provided with a notch engaging with said projection,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the driving-ring, of rollers whereby thedriving-ring is supported, a hollow screen detachably connected at oneend with the driving-ring, and rollers whereby the opposite end of thescreen is supported, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination, with the driving-ring provided on its rear sidewith a cylindrical flange, of flanged rollers supporting the ring, ahollow screen provided at both ends with encircling bands, one of saidbands fitting into the flange of the driving-ring, and rollers engagingagainst the other band of the screen and supporting the latter,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the driving-ring, of flanged rollers wherebythe ring is held against movement in the axis of the machine, adetachable hollow screen capable of movement in the axis of the machinewhen released, and flanged rollers supporting the rear screens and theirdriving-rings, of supporting-rollers arranged between both drivingringsand supporting both rings, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with two concentric screens, their driving-rings,and rollers upon which said rings are supported, of rollers supportingthe rear end of the outer screen, and a vertically-movable bar providedwith rollers which support the rear end of the inner screen,substantially as set forth.

8. The, combination, with two concentric screens, of two concentricgear-rings secured to the ends of said screens and a drivingwheelarranged between said gear-rings and meshing with both, substantially asset forth.

9. The combination, with two concentric screens and their driving-ringsprovided on their front sides with annular rows of pins, of adriving-wheel meshing with both rows of pins, substantially as setforth.

10. The combination, with the inclined screen and its driving-ring, of adriving-shaft provided with a gear-wheel meshing with the driving-ring,a bearing in which'said shaft is journaled, and a vertical curvedsupport for said bearing on which the latter can be adjusted to retainthe shaft in a horizontal position when the inclination of the screen ischanged, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with two concentric screens and theirdriving-rings, of a frame carrying the supporting-rollers of said ringsand provided with a curved portion, a hearing adjustably secured to saidcurved portion, and a driving-shaft journaled in said bearing andcarrying a gear-wheel meshing with the driving-rings, substantially asset forth.

WVitness myhand this 6th day of July, 1889.

GAIUS L. MERRELL.

Witnesses:

THEO. L. Form, C. F. GEYER.

